Keyboard controlled telegraph apparatus



July l0, 1951 A. A. KIRCHEL 2,559,637

KEYBOARD coNTRoLLED TELEGRAPH APPARATUS Filed April 1. 1949 2 sheets-sheet 1 UTILIZATION DEVICE INVENTOR ALAN A. K/CHEL ATTORNEY July 10, 1951 A. A. KIRCHEL 2,559,637

KEYBOARD CONTROLLED TELEGRAPH APPARATUS Filed April l. 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 VN o O 9 z Q U-l ,I m 9 2 2 Si. QQ S :a

\L RL N 03 "a: @e f2 L l m /m :m 7/ u INVENTOR QQ ALA/v A. K/RCHEL ATTORNEY Patented July 10, 1951 KEYBOARD CONTROLLED TELEGRAPH APPARATUS Alan Arthur KircheL Croydon, England, vassigner to Creed and Company Limited, Croydon, England, a British company Applicationv April 1, 1949, SerialrNo. 84,864 In v(rreatBritainApril, 5, 1948 5' Claims. (Cl. 178417) This invention relates to keyboard controlled telegraph apparatus in which key levers coact with bars to effect the transmission of ycode sig- *nalstoa line circuit or to effect the perforation of atape for subsequent control of the transmission -of such signals..

The layout of many keyboards for this purpose has been made so as to approach as nearly as possible to the standard typewriter keyboard layout, so that commercially trained typists will yexperience minimum difliculty with telegraph 'machines vreach `key inthe top row carries two symbols.

In the standard typewriter keyboards 1n order to adapt such a keyboard to a tele- "printer code, Vin which the two symbols on one "key-'are `represented by different code combinations, vthere was described and claimed in U; S.

Patent No. 1,988,943, a keyboard mechanism in 'which two sets of permutation members were provided for, actuation under-control of a single keylever,V each set in accordance with a different code combination, and in which means was providedv for operatively associating either of said sets of permutation members with 'further apparatus which it was desired to control. In the embodiment described in the said patent there were provided for a ve unit code, two sets of :live combination bars so called, both sets being operated by the same key lever, but the operation here referred to, has no relation to a key lever for causing the combination bars to be set in a combination representing the figure shift or letter shift signal used in the teleprinter code, for both symbols on a given key, inthe circumstances in-question, are sent in the upper case. The

shift; keyY lever referred to is akin to the. shift key lever in a typewriter and actuation of such key lever performs a mechanical operation in the keyboard.

It is the object of the present invention to `provide a keyboard mechanism in which provision is made for two different symbols to be of the same key but in which the action of the keys is as light as possible.

y According to the present invention there is provided a keyboard mechanism for telegraph apparatus comprising a set of character key levers, a first set of combination members, in operative relation to said character key levers, a second set of combination members positioned out of operative Vrelation to said character key levers, a shift key lever, means operative upon the actuation of said shift key lever yfor placing the second set of combination members in and removing the first set of combination members out of operative relation to said character key levers.

It will be clear that since only one set of combination members is actuated -by a key lever at any one time. the touch of the keyboard is made lighter than in the embodiment described in the above mentioned patent.

The invention will be better understood from the Afollowing descriptionv of one embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a View in Aelevation of a combination bar of the keyboard mechanism, showing the mechanism for placing. into and out of operative relation With the key-bars, some of which are shown in cross-section.

Fig. 2 isa corresponding view of a combination bar ofY another set, the key-bars. not being shown.

Fig. 3 is a corresponding View of the universal bar.

Referring to the drawings, in a keyboard mechanism for the five-unit teleprinter code there are provided two sets of combination bars, five in each set. One of these sets of combination bars, to which the combination bar I, Fig. v1 belongs, is normally supported in position immediately below the key levers of the keyboard. Only those key levers 2 that carry keys having two .symbols thereon are shown in the drawing. Another set of rive combination bars, to which the combination bar 3, Fig. 2 belongs, is Anormally supported in a lower position so that these combination bars are not actuated by any of the keys. A universal 4bar 4, Fig. 3, is supported so as normally to be actuated by any character key lever thekey of which is depressed.

The combination bars, such as I and 3, and the universal bar 4, are mounted in racks, of which one only 5, is shown to space them apart and keep them upright. They rest on rollers 6 supported on a base plate 1. The rollers I3 are rotatably mounted on pins 8 fixed to a bar 9, Fig. 1. The combination bars of one set, such as bar I, are formed with projections I0, underneath, these projections being formed with a fiat surface of sufficient extent to allow each bar being moved to right or left by a key lever, the projection Ill being bounded on the left in Fig. 1 by a ramp I I. It should be noted however, that bar I is shown in its extreme left hand position so that in this position the right hand key lever 2 will leave the bar I unmoved. Should the bar I be moved to the right by actuation of a key lever 2 such as the left hand key lever of the three levers shown in Fig. 1 then the subsequent actuation of the right hand lever 2 will move it back to the left into the position shown. The combination bars of the other set, such as bar 3, Fig. 2 are formed with similar projections I2 underneath, each projection I2 being bounded lon the right in the drawing by a ramp I3. The combination bars of the last mentioned set rest with the ramps I3 adjacent to the rollers Gvso that the bars are below a level at which they can be operated by the key levers.

The bar 9 is linked by a bell crank lever I4 to the shift key lever I5. When the shift key lever is depressed the bell crank lever I4 is rotated clockwise and moves the link 9 to the left. The rollers 6 move below the ramps II of the projections I on the combination bars I so that these bars drop to a level too low to be operated by the key levers 2. At the same time the ramps I3 on projections I2 rise up, the rollers e thus raising the combination bars such as 3 to a level at which they can be operated by key levers 2.

The universal bar 4 is supported on the rollers B by projections I6 under the bar, these projections IS having a dat surface underneath of sufcient extent for the bar 4 to remain in operative relation to the key levers 2 in either of the two positions of link 9.

The combination bars control a transmitter by means of signal control levers I'I, Fig. l, I8 Fig. 2 and I9 Fig. 3. Assuming that combination bars I and 3 are corresponding bars of the two sets, signal control levers I1 and I8 are similarly linked to the same member of the transmitter or perforator. The signal control levers II, I8 and I9 are linked with the bars I, 3 and 4 respectively by means of notches 20 in the latter so that when combination bar I is lowered by movement of the link 9 the end of control lever I'I no longer engages in the notch 20 in the combination bar and the latter is no longer operatively connected with signal control lever I'I. Similarly when combination bar 3 is raised by movement of link 9 the notch 20 in bar 3 engages the end of control lever I8 so that it is operatively connected therewith. The notches 20 are formed with bevel edges so that the end of the corresponding control lever I'I or I8 will always be engaged therein when the combination bar is raised.

The sideways movement of the link 9 is eiected against the tension of a spring (not shown) so that when the shift key lever i is released the link 9 is restored by this spring to its original position and again raises the set of combination bars to which bar I belongs into operative relation with the key levers and lowers the set of combination bars to which bar 2 belongs out of operative relation with the key levers.

The movement of the combination bars by the link 9 is limited by means of stop rollers 2| which provide reaction points to enable the sloping edges II or I3 of projection I0 or I2 to lift the bar I or 3.

Corresponding bars I and 3 of the two sets of combination bars are preferablyarranged in juxtaposition the bars of the two sets being arranged alternately to facilitate the operation of the same member of the transmitter by either of the signal control levers I'I, I8.

While the principles of the invention have been described above in connection with specific embodiments and particular modifications thereto, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation on the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Keyboard mechanism for telegraph apparatus, comprising a set of character key levers, a rst set of combination members positioned in operative relation to said character key levers, -a second set of combination members positioned out of operative relation to said character key levers, a shift key lever and means, operative upon actuation of said shift key lever for placing the second set of combination members in and removing the first set of combination members out of operative relation to said character key levers.

2. Keyboard mechanism as claimed in claiml in which said combination members are combination bars formed with projections resting upon rollers attached to a link a shift key lever for moving said link, said projections being so formed that movement of the link in one direction raises `one set of combination bars and lowers the other. l v

3.' Keyboard mechanism as claimed in claim 1, further comprising signal control means, and utilization means, said signal control means adapted to link said combination members to said utilization means when said combination members are moved into operative relation with said key levers.

4. Keyboard mechanism as claimed in claim 3, wherein said utilization means comprises a telegraph transmitter.

5. Keyboard mechanism as claimed in claim" 3, wherein said utilization means comprises a mes'- sage tape perfcrator.

ALAN ARTHUR KIRCHEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,974,307 Griffith Sept. 18, 1934 1,988,943 Griffith Jan. 22, 1935 

